Why progressive Democrats oppose Israel entering US Visa Waiver Program

If it’s up to U.S. progressive Democrats, Israelis will be precluded from joining the already 40 countries, around the world, which enjoy the benefit of travel to the U.S. without the need for a visa.

The move, by these individuals, seems to be in total contradiction to years and years of U.S. claims that Israel is one of its closest and trusted allies. So, while this may be true, when it comes to most of the American population, it’s certainly not the sentiment of at least 20 progressive Democrats in Congress, who have expressed their opposition to the State Department, as well as Homeland Security, as it relates to the proposed measure.

In order not to sound too obviously biased, they reasoned that since Israel profiles Muslim Arab and Palestinian Americans, their citizens, likewise, should not be automatically admitted into the country. The flawed comparison, though, seems to have been lost to 65 American senators who, just last week, went to bat for Israeli citizens, in order to hasten the change and allow them to benefit from the visa waiver program. 

Democrat representative, Jonathan Jackson, son of the civil-rights leader, Jesse Jackson, is among those who opposed the addition of Israel, stating, “Arab Americans, particularly Palestinian Americans and those who have advocated on behalf of the Palestinian people, routinely face discrimination, harassment and denial when traveling to and from Israel and the West Bank.”

But it wasn’t just an objection to Arabs and Palestinians being closely scrutinized, Jackson also mentioned that American citizens are forced to undergo, what he referred to as, “invasive searches of their personal electric devices.”  

The last time I checked, that’s been true of every person who travels to any country because we are all asked to place our electronic devices in a separate tray in order to get them scanned, so why cynically use that pitiful excuse to try to justify why an entire population, who is considered to be close friends and a great ally of America, should not be afforded a reasonable right?

The answer is pretty obvious! Leading the pack, of those who are loathed to give their support to allowing Israelis to travel, without the burden of first securing a visa, are Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar and Pramila Jayapal, all known opponents of the Jewish state and those who support the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions).  

Each one of these members of Congress has made no secret of their utter contempt for Israel as they previously refused to condemn BDS when a vote was taken, to do so, in July 2019. Despite the resolution having been passed 398-17, representing a huge bi-partisan vote, these congresswomen were not amongst those who chose to go on record as being against measures that would seriously economically hurt Israel and make her a pariah on the world stage.

Of course, another Squad member, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voted against condemning BDS as well. It was during that vote that Tlaib defined Israel as having “racist policies.”

There is no doubt that using the visa waiver program, as a means to deny Israelis the same rights enjoyed by citizens of other countries, which are not even deemed to have the same close relationship with the U.S. as the Jewish state does, is merely a way to get back at Israel since their failed attempt at hurting us didn’t go over well when it came to supporting BDS. 

In short, not only are they biased, but they are also vindictive in their very transparent attempt to punish Israel for trying to protect herself from those who would seek to enter our country in order to execute terror attacks.

The fact that they pathetically try to make a level-playing field argument in terms of Israel’s entrance policies into a country, which must always be on the alert for terrorists, is not only absurd, but it is laughable because it displays a total lack of understanding and disregard which each country must have towards their population – especially ours.

Jackson goes on to say, “We do believe in measuring human rights by one yardstick.” This, too, is ludicrous, because none of these same 20 progressive Democrats seem the least bit concerned by flagrant human rights violations which are perpetrated by countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Eritrea, North Korea, Iran and a host of others whose deplorable actions go unnoticed by such institutions as the United Nations and the European Union. 

Only Israel has the distinction of needing to be punished – a country that is generally first to come to the aid and assistance of nations that face disaster and catastrophic events.

For now, Israel is blessed by the fact that there are more supporters in the American Congress and the Senate than there are detractors. But that is something which could, one day, change, and if it does, Israel could find herself alone and rejected by many who once stood with her but subsequently chose to join those who are unable to discover anything good in the Jewish nation, despite all of the great and important contributions to society that the nascent country has made.

Standing with Israel and blessing her is also a biblical concept that ends up returning the blessing upon those who give it. So, for all those progressive Democrats who are unwilling to show any generosity or appreciation for God’s chosen, they should consider how their decisions could easily return upon them like a boomerang, because, oddly enough, these things do tend to have an adverse effect, per what was written, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” Genesis 12:3